John Christopher's first haircut, 1962. Mom looked sooo happy to be a mom! She's also pregnant with Douglas in this photo.

Proud Dad and his boys, 1963

It’s two months ago today that Mom passed away. We miss her a lot. These slides are taking me on an incredible journey. Each shot is like a time capsule bringing me through forgotten, happy memories of the past, sadness for our present deep loss, and hope for the future. One day we'll all be reunited again in heaven--young, happy, and completely whole. Several years ago I heard Rev. Gary Wood speak at our church about his experience in heaven. Yes, he went to heaven! You can read about it in his book, A Place Called Heaven,here. I highly recommend it. It gives a glimpse of his experience in heaven and what our loved ones may be experiencing now.

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night--but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”Psalm 139:7-12

Just 25 years-old and taking care of three little ones while Dad worked all day-- that must have been very difficult! (L to R: Douglas, Kathy, John C.)

Nana, Mom's mom, visiting us at Christmas, 1964.

If you subscribe to the four temperaments theory, I notice from these photos how our personalities (in general) are developed even at this young age! John C-- exuberant sanguine, Douglas-- peaceful phlegmatic, and Kathy-- quiet melancholic... Interesting!!

Love those caps!

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”Psalm 139:13-16